The Salvation Army Summer Lunch Bunch Program

What is The Salvation Army Summer Lunch Bunch Program?

The Salvation Army Summer Lunch Bunch program is a collaborative community meals program that meets all over Livingston County during the summer recess. Through a diverse offering of one-time, daily and weekly meetings at host’s sites around the county, families are ensured access to plentiful food all summer long.

Most community residents are within 15 minutes of a Summer Lunch Bunch site.

Our program design is simple:

Sharing a meal, enjoying a program and filling the pantry.

How do we share a meal?

Our sit-down meal are provided through a variety of vendors and delivered onsite. Volunteers set up and serve the meal, sack lunch style, to our guest families. Meals meet USDA nutritional guidelines and must be eaten "congregate". In other words, we sit down and share this meal together. This also allows us to build community with our guests, getting to know them, their families and their unique needs.

What types of programs are offered?

The Salvation Army Summer Lunch Bunch means free family fun! Each meal service is followed by programming that we invite our guests (particularly the children) to participate in. We invite the community at large to bring in educational, entertaining and enriching programs to make the summer something special. Past programming provided has included: The Howell Nature Center Spirit of Alexandria Nature Bus, MSU Extension Food and Nutrition Educator, Local Libraries, Local Fire Departments, Petting Zoos, crafts, games, and themes. Programming runs 45 minutes to 1 hour following the meal service.

What does filling the Pantry mean?

The Salvation Army Summer Lunch Bunch meets once a week. We know that this means 7 days until we see our guest family’s again. To ensure that the families have extra food in their pantries until we see them again, each participant also takes home a Pantry Pack while supplies last. Pantry Packs are filled with boxed and canned, shelf-stable groceries that can help the families build a menu of lunches for the upcoming week. In addition fresh fruits and vegetables are introduced into Pantry Packs as funds and donations allow.

This year we will be running The Salvation Army Summer Lunch Bunch Program from June 17th until August 16th.

We will be at multiple locations in Livingston County. You can find us at the Howell Library, Fowlerville Library, Hartland Meadows Mobile Home Park, Howell Estates Mobile Home Park, Challenger Elementary School, Munn Early Childhood Center and 2|42 Church.

You can follow us on Facebook @SummerLunchBunch to stay up to date on where we are going to be and when.

Please watch for the flyer to come out for special locations that registration is required. All of our Field trips that we off will require registration.

If you have any questions please call Ashley Longstreet at 517-546-4750 extension 348

For a quicker check-in down load and complete the Registration Form to bring with you!

The Salvation Army Mission Statement

The Salvation Army, an international movement, is an evangelical part of the universal Christian Church. Its message is based on the Bible. Its ministry is motivated by the love of God. Its mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in His name without discrimination.